Sagna encourages Diakhate signing

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna believes that Dynamo Kiev defender Pape Malickou Diakhate would be the perfect signing for the club, as the Gunners look to shore up their defence for next season.

Published

27 May 2010

With Sol Campbell, William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Phillipe Senderos all free to leave the club this summer, manager Arsene Wenger is keen to find replacements to strengthen the Emirates Stadium outfit's back line.

The Gunners are reportedly leading the way to secure the services of the Senegalese star, and Sagna insists that his signing would be useful business for the club.

“I don't know what the plan is for next year. We are all waiting to see what the manager does but Malickou would be very welcome in our team,” he said.

"He is Senegalese like me and plays for the national team. He played for Nancy in France so I played against him a few times and he is very dangerous at set-pieces.

"I have met him a few times and he is a very good guy and a very good player.”

Diakhate spent half of the 2009/10 campaign on loan at French side Saint-Étienne, impressing despite the team’s poor campaign in Ligue 1.

The centre-back initially made his name in France with Nancy where he made 142 appearances in his six years with the club, before moving onto to Ukraine with Dynamo Kiev.

Arsenal supremo Wenger has made it clear that his priorities lie in strengthening his defence for next season, an area that has proved somewhat of an Achilles heel for the Gunners in recent years.

Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland are also believed to be monitoring the player’s situation, but Arsenal remain in the driving seat to secure his signature, according to reports.